A large public school located in a marginalized, semi-urban neighborhood in the Dominican Republic serves a high-need population of approximately 1,500 students (grades K-8). However, the school receives little support from local and state governments and teachers struggle with overcrowded classrooms, behavior problems, and lack of materials. As a result, an alarming quantity of students aged eight to fifteen cannot read or write.

To improve the quality of education, staff members have been working with the volunteer to update teaching methods, produce didactic materials, and promote literacy. Further success is hindered, however, by the lack of appropriate resources. The only print materials are damaged, in foreign languages, or of collegiate level.

The school staff is extremely enthusiastic about the prospect of a functional library. They have volunteered to do all of the labor for free and, with help from local community organizations, will remove the current bathroom and safeguard the windows. With the volunteer’s assistance, the teachers will learn how to use and maintain the facility. They will learn how to select age-appropriate texts and conduct daily “read alouds.” The school wishes to hire student staff to run the library and offer low-cost photocopies to community members. The money generated will be used to pay student wages and maintain the facility. The library will provide a wealth of resources as well as a peaceful environment for better curriculum planning. It will play an incomparable role in bringing better education to a community plagued by illiteracy.

Note: This summary was provided by a Peace Corps Volunteer and the community administering this project.